Psychological Disorders 3 - Mood disorders

Question 1

what is the median duration of major depressive disorder?

Answer 1

5 months

Question 2

what percent of people with a depressive episode experience recurrent episodes?

Answer 2

75-95%

Question 3

prevalence of major depressive disorder is much higher in what gender?

Answer 3

it’s about twice as prevalent in women

Question 4

What is the DSMV criteria for major depressive disorder?

Answer 4

5 of the following for at least 2 weeks nearly every day

Question 5

what percent of hospitalized patients for major depressive disorder will eventually take their own life?

Answer 5

10-15%

Question 6

Bipolar disorder is more common in what gender?

Answer 6

equally common in males and females

Question 7

onset of bipolar disorder happens in which age range?

Answer 7

20-40 years of age

Question 8

what is the classical clinical manifestation of bipolar disorder?

Answer 8

perods of prolonged and profound depression - alternating with periods of elevated mood or irritability

Question 9

what are the symptoms of mania in bipolar disorder?

Answer 9

elated euphria, extreme sociability and impatience

racing thoughts, flight of ideas, impulsive behaviour, overtalkative, confident, delusions of grandeur

unable to sleep/eat, increased libido,

manic episode must last at least 1 week for diagnosis -

Question 10

what percent of patients with bipolar disorder have psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations?

Answer 10

50% of mani patients

Question 11

What is the DSMV criteria for a manic episode?

Answer 11

• distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated or irritable mood and goal directed activity or energy lasting at least 1 week
• 3 or more of the following
  
  • inflated self image
  • decreased need for sleep
  • pressure to keep talking
  • flight of ideas
  • distractible
  • increased in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation
  • excessive involvement in activity that have a high potential for consequences
• mood disturbances are severe enough to cause a marked impairment in functioning
• the episode is not attributable to the effects of a substance

Question 12

what percent of people with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide?

Answer 12

25-50% attempt suicide

Question 13

What is the monoamine theory of mood disorders?

Answer 13

antidepressants increase monoamine transmitter levels - (monoamines include serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine and acetylcholine)

most research has focused on the role of serotonin in depression, but dopamine is particularly important in bipolar disorders

Question 14

What is the neroendocrinology theory of depression?

Answer 14

Hypothalamic- pituitary adrenal HPA intrinsically invovled in physiological response to stress

some evidence of hyperactiity of HPA invovled in depression

Question 15

What is the cerebral pathophysiology theory of depression?

Answer 15

patients with unipolar depression tend to have smaller basal ganglia - hippocampi and cerebella

in bipolar, evidence of reduction in prefrontal cortex and enlargmenet of cerebral ventricles

fMRI studies show reduced cerebral activity in depressed patients in widespread regions

Question 16

What is the ‘physical illness’ theory of depression?

Answer 16

• various medical illnesses increase risk of depression,
• stroke patients - 30-40% develop depression
• 33% of MI patients develop depression

Question 17

what is the psychoanalytical theory of depression?

Answer 17

loss, overdependence on external approval and internalisation of anger

• Freud thinks dperesion is a reaction to loss
• explains mania as a defence against depression

Question 18

What are the ‘cognitive’ factors associated with depression?

Answer 18

• learned helplessness - as children they have no control over their situation- they learn this subconsciously, so when they’re an adult- they have learned to not react/change their situation even though they have control over it now - b/c they subconsciously feel that they have no control over it

Question 19

What social factors are associated with depression?

Answer 19

• impaired fetal growth/low birth weight associated with depression
• childhood disadvatage associated with depression
• social inequality associated with depression -
• marriage is protective for men
  *

Question 20

what is the interpersonal theory of depression?

Answer 20

poor social skills leads to

• few reinforcers such as good frineds, top jobs etc
• court rejection b/c of irritability or pessimism
• gravitate to people who confirm their negative views

All of these lead to an increased vulnerability to depression